h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This morning I was fired from my job as the Costing Accountant at Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The reason for this was that the improvement in my sickness absence record over the last few months had not been sufficient to meet the target that my employers had set for me. It went from a state of being pretty bloody awful to not quite acceptable. Therefore my contract of employment was terminated with immediate effect.

Shortly I should be receiving a P45, a 12 week pay-off plus some money for accrued holiday.

Am I sad and worried for the future?

Well, I'm going to miss some of the people who I was working with. They're good people who work diligently in an environment of great stress, and for little reward or recognition. I'm not going to miss the job as I f**king hated that, and quite frankly I'm pleased that it's all over. I don't know what the future will hold, whether anyone will give me another job in the circumstances. I guess it's a case of watch this space.

And right now, I'm going off for a nice walk along the Prom. Tatty-bye

I don't know what to say GD, I hope things work out for you..

Don't know what to say to that.

I could commiserate with you over the loss of job, but it sounds like you aren't too cut up over it, so that seems inappropriate. At the same time celebrating the loss of a job seems somehow wrong.

It think I'll commiserate over the loss of a regular wage. Though I'm sure you'll get another wage soon.


Geggs

Oh.

Well, good luck with finding a new position - hope you get one you like this time.

B

Well, um. That's a bit shit. While getting shot of a crappy job is always good the circumstances could've been better...

"the improvement in my sickness absence record"

Isn't that more of an indictment on the performance failure of the NHS Trust! - unless they can prove you were faking it.

Well sh*t! It's never pleasant being fired. On the other hand, since it was a job and place you hated perhaps it's a blessing in disguise ( always look on the bright side . . . ).

I suggest you take a week totally off, 'recharge your batteries' as much as possible and then start a brainstorming session - maybe even here? Making lists of your experience, your talents, what you would like to do, etc.

I'm not up-to-date on what your health issues were - is it possible they were also stress-related to this particular job-from-hell?

I seem to remember that Hoo once wrote a good entry on 'what to do if you get fired' but can't find it anywhere - I've left a message for him about it so perhaps either he or I will post the link for you here later on.



az

Hard lines bud.

Still they say money isnt worth unhappiness and if you hated the job you are probably better off without it.

All the same I hate it when my members get the sack on sick. I always fell I have let them down.

i wonder they didn't remove KA's post...naughtynaughty! SEF must be a saucy character indeed to get his posts premoderated!

GD, under the circumstances, i suppose you saw it coming which might make it a bit easier to take.

you're still hiring age, you have your beancounter sheepskin and your attendance record was on the mend you say. add that to the fact you hated your job and it doesn't look like you should be too glum. now the question is what to do with those 12 weeks' pay...

1) sock it away to supplement your unemployment insurance?

2) go on a gold medal bender?

3) combine your new found freedom & money to go on a great vacation?

4) give it to me? (rather nice that one...)

Oop. Forgot to self mod

I hope it all works out

Well, we're hiring.
The commute would be a b*tch though, I imagine

I hope you find something suitable soon

Thank you everyone for your kind words, and your support

Well, I've just returned from a lovely long walk along the seafront, all the way out to 'Millionaires Row' and the Hove lagoon, and then back again. Stopping for fishcake and chips on the return leg.

I'm having rather a good day today as it happens

You could try the place where I just got hired too - they're still looking for staff

Yikes. I hope something better comes along just when you're ready for it.

I take it you've checked to see whether they're entitled to fire you under those terms?

Hard luck, GD. How horribly ironic that an NHS Trust should be intolerant of illness.

I have experienced having money but being thoroughly miserable because I hated my job. Personally, I found having no job and little money, but having the time to enjoy life, vastly preferable. Sounds like you've rapidly come to the same conclusion.

Here you go, GD - turns out it was a collaborative effort, including Hoo:

A956315

Hope this helps!


az

Well, if you're happy about leaving, then no point being sad about it. I was sacked once and I had a huge smile on my face - I was glad to be out of there!

If you do have lots of sick time, maybe you could get incapacity benefit or something. My ex husband was long time sick when I met him, after 6 months the company laid him off. He's back working for them now though (and after trying to sue them!).

Herrrmmm... Money not being worth unhappiness... That almost has me convinced to drop to 32 hours or less a week at blow*fart (My new nickname for Wal*Mart, after finding out this morning that the company health insurance I chose will not cover the cost of my annual check up and the money will NOT go toward my deductible!!! ).

I've almost had it with all the w*rk I'm doing-- Perhaps you'd like to take on some of the tasks, disguised as me, GD!??

So please choose one of these options:
1. The fulltime retail job
2. The fun w*rk that I'd rather do fulltime but isn't making me any money now

Hope that "What to do when you lose your job article" emerges.

Good luck with everything, GD. I say better things are ahead!!!!

"That almost has me convinced to drop to 32 hours or less a week at blow*fart (My new nickname for Wal*Mart, after finding out this morning that the company health insurance I chose will not cover the cost of my annual check up and the money will NOT go toward my deductible!!! steam )."

Wal-Mart, they are a scum-sucking anti union company no?

From what I hear from pals who work for/did work for Asda (now a wal-mart company in the UK) they get treated really bad since wal-mart de-unionised the company.